EXCLUSIVE: There will be no second season of willow, the Disney+ original live-action series based on the 1988 fantasy film directed by Ron Howard. The news comes two months after the series’ eight-episode first season, which served as a sequel to the classic film, ended its run on the streaming platform.
Willow, which picked up years after the events of the film, lacked the zeitgeist cultural impact of the original but was well received by critics, scoring 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. Although the series does not continue, willow remains an important IP in the Lucasfilm library, so it may be revisited in the future.
The news comes as Lucasfilm has reassessed its slate of movies, taking time to identify the next movie in the lineup. star wars franchise. In the meantime, the company has built up a significant star wars TV footprint on Disney+ with series such as the live-action hit The Mandalorian and the next Ahsoka, sidekick And Skeleton crew as well as animated dishes.
The cancellation also comes amid heightened scrutiny from media companies, including Disney, which have been clamping down on streaming content spending in search of profitability.
willow introduces new characters and is set in a world where brownies, wizards, trolls and other mystical creatures thrive. An unlikely group of heroes embark on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must confront their inner demons and band together to save their world.
Ellie Bamber, Ruby Cruz, Erin Kellyman, Amer Chadha-Patel and Tony Revolori starred alongside Warwick Davis, who reprized his title role as Willow Ufgood.
Jonathan Kasdan wrote the pilot and served as co-showrunner alongside Wendy Mericle; Howard and writer Bob Dolman. Kathleen Kennedy and Michelle Rejwan also served as executive producers.